Micah Childress

A FUNdamental Approach to Real Estate

By Robbyn Moore

Photos by Jacob Harr with harr Creative LLC

MICAH CHILDRESS has a passion for helping others achieve really large goals in life. For years, he was a history professor at Grand

Valley State University, where he enjoyed teaching and connecting with his students. He found that his greatest reward was helping his students navigate their future plans in life. In 2013, when he and his wife, Anna, were selling their home, Micah was amazed at how much the real estate business paralleled his work as a professor. “I always thought I’d be a professor forever,” Micah recalled. “But after we sold our first house, I kept thinking about how real estate could be really fun, interesting and engaging, and how an agent’s role truly helps people reach their goals in life.”

Six years ago, with the idea that he could provide solutions to his clients, Micah decided to take the leap into real estate. He aligned himself with Five Star Real Estate, and in 2019, he formed The Move with Micah Team. “I view real estate as a puzzle that has to be solved,” he said. “I listen to my clients’ needs, and then it’s my job to put those puzzle pieces together.”

Micah’s love for real estate is a passion that runs deep. His approach to work is simple and fun, accompanied by his recognizable humor. In every transaction, Micah strives to make sure his clients are having a good time, especially during tough market trends. “Our team’s core value is ‘don’t be boring,’” he explained. “Real estate is already serious because clients are often dealing with some of their biggest life decisions, so there needs to be some levity to balance that out. There’s no reason why you can’t do an awesome job for your clients while having fun. It’s like when I decided to write my Ph.D. dissertation on the circus: If you’re going to write 300 pages, do it on something fun. Similarly, if you’re going to sell $20 million in volume as a team, why not have fun while you’re doing it?”

I LISTEN TO MY CLIENTS’ NEEDS, AND THEN IT’S MY JOB TO PUT THOSE PUZZLE PIECES TOGETHER.

In 2018, Micah’s creativity in marketing and business led him to design a custom LEGO version of himself and of his team’s logo. “I gave it to my clients’ kids at closings as a fun way to engage the entire family in the process,” he said. Micah also made a property video where he wore a series of ridiculous outfits — including some of his wife’s workout clothes — to showcase the various features of the house. “If you worked with me and didn’t laugh, then we probably didn’t work together,” he said with a smile.

To enhance his team, Micah added Dave Draayer, who was originally brought on as a buyer’s agent. “I refer to Dave as my business partner because we run our team together,” Micah said. “Dave and I have similar values on what really matters in life: It’s not about money or being a top agent; it’s about serving our clients well, taking care of our families and finding ways to give back to those in need.”

One of the most rewarding aspects of Micah’s job is turning clients into friends and making lifelong connections. When Micah attended his father’s funeral after he died from cancer in January, he met with a lot of people who told him how important his father made them feel. “So many people said that my dad let others know they truly mattered,” he said. “He cared about people, and they felt it. It inspired me to want to do the same thing.”

Originally from Hanover, Indiana, Micah has a master’s degree from Indiana Wesleyan University, a Ph.D. from Purdue University and published a book in 2018. While Micah was growing up, his parents stressed the importance of having a strong work ethic along with a firm anchor in his faith. His parents also taught him the value of family, which Micah said became more apparent to him during the pandemic. “I realized life isn’t always about work,” he shared. “Time with family is something that you never get back. When my dad passed away, it further confirmed my feelings that time spent with family is paramount.”

As a real estate agent, it’s not uncommon to have a 60-hour workweek, and after the first few years, Micah found he was no different. “My business coach, Todd Anderson, was instrumental in helping me set boundaries and establish a work-life balance, which was crucial to the health of my marriage,” Micah said.

Micah has since found that balance with his wife and their three children: Ezra, 6, Josie, 4, and Brynlee, 2. Together, they enjoy family bike rides, shooting hoops in the driveway or playing catch in the backyard. Additionally, Micah serves at his church as an elder and has even given a few sermons. He is also an avid Indiana University basketball fan.

Micah’s team is heavily involved in Hand2Hand, a food resource for kids and their families who are food insecure. The organization provides schools with backpacks full of food, which are then given to students at the end of the week so they don’t have to worry about what to eat over the weekend. “It seems like people disagree over anything these days, but feeding hungry kids is something that everyone can support,” Micah said.

IT’S ALL ABOUT MAKING MEANINGFUL CONNECTIONS AND SERVING THEM WELL.

Beyond wanting to help people reach their real estate goals, Micah wants to be the reason people smile and laugh. “Just because you’re a real estate agent, it doesn’t mean you have to be serious and by the book,” he said. “I felt the same way as a history professor — I never wanted to be thought of as some boring old dude, so I broke that stereotype and created a fun atmosphere.”

Micah plans on continuing to bring fun times to his real estate business for at least two more decades. “I believe in making my clients the center of the transaction,” he said. “It’s all about making meaningful connections and serving them well.”

Micah Childress - Top Producer/COVER